3rd Class
Science
Animals
Animal Kingdom

Animals that live on land are called land animals. For example, dog, cat, elephant, zebra, cow, etc.

Characteristics of Land Animals

Land animals have certain characteristics that distinguish them from other animals. They are as follows:

Land animals move or crawl

Most of the land animals move or crawl in search of food and shelter. Their bodies are designed for movement. For example, lion, tiger, snake, etc. Kangaroo is an animal that hops.

Land animals do not make their own food

Land animals do not make their own food. They depend on plants or other animals for their food. For example, cow eats grass, lion eats deer and deer again eats grass etc. This is like a chain that the plant and animal form. This chain is known as food chain.

Land animals produce sound

Most of the land animals produce sound. For example, cat mews, dog barks, etc.

Land animals take oxygen directly from air

Land animals take oxygen directly from air and utilise it to get energy.

Land animals have tails

Most of the land animals have tail that help them in their movement. Tail also help them to maintain the body balance. For example, lion, elephant, dog, cat, etc.

Elephant

Land animals reproduce

Land animals reproduce by laying eggs or by giving birth to young ones. In this way they do not get extinct. For example, cow gives birth to young ones whereas snake lays eggs.

Snake

Classification of Land Animals

Land animals can be classified into various categories on the basis of their body features, food they eat and adaptation.

In the first category, land animals are divided into:

(i) Domestic animals

(ii) Wild animals

Domestic Animals

Animals that live with us are called domestic animals. For example, dog, cat, etc.

Cat

Wild Animals

Animals that live in the forest are called wild animals. For example, lion, tiger, etc.

Lion

In the second category, land animals are classified as:

(i) Milk giving animals

(ii) Draught animals

Milk Giving Animals

Animals that give us milk are called milk giving animals. For example, cow, buffalo, etc.

Cow Buffalo

Draught Animals

Animals that work and carry load for us are called draught animals. For example, ox, horse, etc.

In the third category, the land animals are classified as:

(i) Herbivorous animals

(ii) Carnivorous animals

(iii) Omnivorous animals

Herbivorous Animals

Animals that eat plants are called herbivorous animals. Teeth of herbivorous animals are broad and flat. For example, cow, elephant, goat, etc.

Cow Broad molar teeth

Carnivorous Animals

Animals that eat flesh are called carnivorous animals. Teeth of carnivorous animals are narrow and sharp. For example, lion, wolf, tiger, etc.

Lion Pointed canine teeth

Omnivorous Animals

Animals that eat both plants and flesh are called omnivorous animals. For example, dog, cat, bear, etc.

Bear blade like pointed broad premolar teeth

Land Animals are Useful to us

Land animals are useful to us in many ways.in many ways.

Some animals like cow, buffalo, goat, etc. give us milk.

Skin of many animals is used for making leather. The leather is used to make things such as bags, shoes, etc.

Things made from skin of animal

Elephant is used for carrying logs of wood.

Sheep gives us wool. Wool is used to make sweaters.

Dog and cat are kept as pet animals.

Dog guards our homes.

Dung of many animals is used as manure and fuel. For example, dung of cow, buffalo, etc. is used as manure and fuel.

Most of the aquatic animals have an organ called gill. They breathe with the help of gills. These aquatic animals use gills to extract oxygen dissolved in water. For breathing, fish open and close their mouth to engulf water. Water passes from mouth to gills, where the oxygen is taken out from water and then it passes into the blood. An aquatic animal that breathes with the help of gill dies if taken out of water because gills cannot take oxygen directly from air.

Fish breathes through gills

Some aquatic animals have lungs for breathing. For example, dolphin and whale. They breathe air from the surface of water. Both dolphin and whale have noses on the top of their heads. These aquatic animals can swim in water for a stretch of about 30 minutes without coming to the surface for breathing.

Whales have nose on their head

Reproduction in Aquatic Animals

Most of the aquatic animals lay eggs. Some aquatic animals such as whale and dolphin give birth to their young ones.